Tooth Grinding Symptoms
It is often the smaller tooth grinding symptoms that give away the condition. Tooth grinding is an oral health problem called bruxism. Bruxism comes from Greek brukein meaning to gnash the teeth. As you might imagine this grinding can do some serious damage to the teeth. The teeth are made of strong stuff, the protective outer layer of enamel can take quite a bit to destroy. Unfortunately, over time, tooth grinding can indeed destroy the teeth. Tooth grinding is itself, often a symptom of Temporomandibular joint Disorder.
Tooth grinding while sleeping is common for people with this disorder. Of all the tooth grinding symptoms the most noticeable is the horrible gnashing sound created when the teeth are grinding. The problem is that people afflicted with this problem cannot notice this symptom and if they are not sleeping with someone they may never find out. Spouses of patients who grind their teeth often complain of this sound and this is what gets them into treatment. A tooth grinding guard is common form of treatment that relaxes the jaw to prevent grinding while softening the effects of the grinding that does occur.
Other tooth grinding symptoms include tooth sensitivity and a flattening of the teeth. The damage the grinding does will cause the teeth to become extremely sensitive to hot and cold. The flattening of the teeth will take longer but it can cause the face to shorten and look older. Grinding can also cause an abfraction, a notch in the roots of a tooth. Tooth grinding in children is a common occurrence that normally goes away with time.
Tooth grinding symptoms should not be ignored! Tooth grinding can be caused by stress, a simply bad habit, or by TMJ Disorder. TMJ Disorder can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms besides tooth grinding. TMJD can often go undiagnosed while the symptoms wreak havoc with your life. If you experience tooth grinding due to TMJD seeing a dentist sooner rather than later can help you treat the disorder before the symptoms have a severely negative impact on your life.
If you would like to learn more about the tooth grinding symptoms and would like to speak with an Atlanta TMJ dentist, please consider the Atlanta Dental Group PC. Our dental office has over 45 years combined experience serving Atlanta’s dental needs. Our dentists are dedicated to their patients’ good health and well being. You are welcome to join our family of patients. If you would like to schedule a dental consultation with our Atlanta dentist, Dr. Mark Allan Padolsky, call 404-874-7428 to make an appointment.
